workplaces pay union dues. an army of officers have been guarding the governor's office all day. some of these demonstrators have been here since 5:00 this morning. the republican governor has signed the law. >> with a stroke of a pen, take our rights away. it's offensive. >> reporter: supporters call it right to work, but unions say it's nothing less than an effort to cut their bargaining power. less dues means less influence. the afl-cio says the average worker in right to work states earns $1,500 less than workers in states without those laws. >> these so-called right to work laws, they don't have to do with economics, they have everything to do with politics. what they're really talking about is giving you the right to work for less money. >> reporter: but supporters say the law encourages business. chris beckering owns a construction company and predicts the bill will allow his company to hire more workers. >> this will attract more businesses to michigan. those businesses will need space and we're here to